DVD Collectors Online

This Christmas, a review by Danae Cassandra

This Christmas
Year of Release: 2007
Directed By: Preston A. Whitmore
Starring: Delroy Lindo, Idris Alba, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown
Genre: Drama, Comedy

Overview:
This Christmas there's no place like family. For the first time in years, all the Whitfield kids have come home to spend the holiday with Ma'Dere (Loretta Devine) and her boyfriend Joe (Delroy Lindo). And each has brought plenty of baggage along with them. As the lights are hung and the tree is trimmed, secrets are revealed and ties are tested. But as their lives converge again, they join together to rediscover and celebrate the wonderful gift of family.

My Thoughts:
This is a pretty typical Christmas movie - a family who haven't all been together for quite some time comes together for the holiday.  Each of them have their own problems, and maybe their relationships with the rest of the family are kinda dysfunctional.  After all, nobody knows how to push your buttons like your family.  But in the end, family is what really matters and family are the folks that have your back.  Whatever the problems are, they can be worked out.

Yes, that's pretty cliche, but this is a bit more realistic a family.  I don't come from a big family (opposite of it, in fact), but I could still relate to these people.  The children, and their mother, and even the bookies pursuing the eldest son and the smarmy cheating spouse, all have good points and bad points.  Yes, some of them have more good points and some more bad points.  Yes, there is a happy ending, but this is a Christmas movie about a family coming together.  There wasn't not going to be a happy ending.  

I think anyone looking for a family drama (with touches of comedy) would enjoy this film.  I think anyone would relate to it.  I think it's a shame that a lot of folks won't look at this film, and will simply relegate it to being a "black film" rather than simply a "film."  I would recommend this to anyone - unless you're looking for something to watch with little kids.  Teens, sure, no problem, but little kids will be bored pretty quick.

Bechdel Test: Pass*

Overall: 3.5/5

*barely, there's one conversation between the women about food, but that's it - all the other conversations are about men or their relationships with men

(From Yuletide 2013 on December 9th, 2013)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Movie Count: 77
TV Ep Count: 38
Other  Count: 2
Time Started: 8am
Plot:
This is the bizarre and tragically gruesome account of what happened to five young friends one summer afternoon in rural Texas. After hearing reports of grave robbing, the group sets out to check on a family grave. Soon after, one-by-one they wander into the murderous clutches of Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen).

'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' is a frightening classic that possesses an undying power to terrorize audiences again and again. It's ability to truly horrify is so strong that when the movie first opened, some people actually walked out in a state of shock.

My Thoughts:
Wow... what to say about this movie. I can pretty much sum it up in one word... Awesome! This one has great atmosphere. It is done very well... real edge of your seat watching here! If there is any one thing I could change about this movie... it would be the non-stop screaming the one girl does at the end of the movie. I do understand why it is there and all... but it just gets aggravating to hear like that after a while. That one scene has definitely cut down on my repeat viewing.



(From My Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2008 on October 24th, 2008)

Smallville: The Complete Eighth Season, a review by addicted2dvd

Smallville: The Complete Eighth Season (2008/United States)

---

Stars:
Tom Welling as Clark Kent
Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan
Erica Durance as Lois Lane
Aaron Ashmore as Jimmy Olsen
Cassidy Freeman as Tess Mercer
Sam Witwer as Davis Bloom
Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes

This morning I have finished the 8th season of the series. This season I enjoyed a lot. I enjoyed how they did Doomsday in it. This season adds the character Tess Mercer. She is one that I can't say I really liked... but I didn't dislike her either. Pretty much a feeling of indifference.

Since I just watched Season 9 of this show the first week of this month (what prompted me to watch the series from the start again)... I really don't feel the need to watch it again now. But I have officially watched 9 seasons of Smallville in only one month!




(From Addicted2dvd's Random TV Series Watched on August 31st, 2011)